Solace
by Elissa Alejandra
Summary: Sarah is cursed with a mysterious illness. A stranger will be the only one she can trust, and a lost love will resurface during her darkest times...
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Labyrinth.

* * *

Sarah Williams lay stretched across the soft mound of earth underneath the apple tree. One hand lay underneath her head and the other arm rested on her stomach. Silently dreaming, half asleep, taking cover from the lazy sunshine. She loved days like this, especially when the sun was out warming her body.

She was happy again, finally able to be outdoors; even if it was her backyard. She felt like a prisoner in her own home, in her own bed. It had been like that for the past four weeks.

But now the feel of earth and warm sunshine on her weary body made her forget all of that. She could hear a soft sound off in the distance; a faint sound of soft bells slowly changing into the sound of a beautiful melody. How she missed the birds singing softly under a beautiful blue sky.

Breathing in the scent of grass and the crisp air surrounding her, she began drifting further and further away into a calming sleep…

"_The feeling begins. Very tender, very loving. But then the pain comes..."_

Her hands flew to her skull as she screamed aloud. Her body stretched out even further, convulsing her legs into her torso again. She continued to scream as she felt white heat sweeping into her body. She felt her skin burn raw as a slicing, razor sharp pain slit through her arms and legs. Sobbing and screaming at the same time from the intense pain, she tried to crawl away, but she felt her blood seep from her body unto the ground beneath her, staining it red. A scorching pain then pierced her mind, so agonizing she couldn't find the breath to scream.

"_Claws slip underneath the skin and tear their way up… just before they reach my eyes, they dig in."_

Another shriek tore out of her raw throat. Screaming, screaming in pain for release. The claws dug deeper into her skull, into her brain, her very being, until the only thing she knew was immense pain.

"_And I remember…_

_Toby… Goblins… The Labyrinth… The Castle Beyond the Goblin City… Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus… The Bog… The Dance… Jareth."_

Her mouth remained opened, but only slight whimpers escaped her dry throat. A new pain touched her chest, and nearly ripped it in two. She felt warm blood running down her arms and legs in droplets at first, then it began to flow freely...

"_Stairs that drop from the ceiling and run under the ground… how curious. I can feel him, he's so close. Why is my heart beating so fast? I'm nervous and anxious, that's why."_

She finally found the breath to scream. It reverberated throughout her body and echoed in her mind. Her scarlet blood seeped from her skin and stained the ground red.

"_He was so beautiful…"_

The pain finally lifted, and Sarah collapsed. Struggling to breathe normally, she dropped her arms and rolled unto her back. Her chest rose up and down fitfully, still throbbing from the enormous pain that finally subsided. Her face felt numb from the constant screams of pain. She barely felt warm tears spilling over unto her dirt-stained cheeks.

"_The pain always comes back. And the voices will come soon too. They always call me by name. Sarah… But a new name has come now. One that is old, and unlike any I have heard before. But it is unrecognizable, and it fades from my grasp quickly…"_

Sarah trembled violently as she lifted her hands to her face and wept, desperately trying to shield the harsh sun from her aching body and eyes of blood red.

* * *

AN: son of a bitch... I don't know if it's the holidays or from my recent cold, but I'm suddenly inspired again... it's very frustrating sometimes... 


	2. Sandalwood

**Disclaimer: ** I do not own Labyrinth.

* * *

It was difficult to open her eyes much less move her fingers an inch. She was completely drained mentally and physically; and completely covered in darkness. The first thing she could actually feel was an icy wet clinging to her skin. She could breathe, but it was ragged and forced. And as she drew one sharp breath after another, a deep, sharp intake of cold oxygen filled her nostrils.

Her body was shaking from the bitter cold and her wet skin. She was freezing and she could barely keep herself breathing out of pure force. Her body was too numb for her mind to panic; all she could feel throughout her whole being was cold, mind-numbing cold. She felt herself helplessly succumbing deeper into the dark wet smothering her.

"She's coding!"

"I need a TC, quick!"

"Dr. Reid, we need you over here now!"

Still shaking from the cold, she felt the ground beneath her body tremble just slightly, almost matching her violent reaction. And as if on instinct, she flattened her body stiffly. She was still shaking but she could feel something crawl slowly up her arms, legs, and sides. Something was reaching out to her on all sides, it wasn't smothering her or swallowing her whole, but it felt as if a ray of golden warmth was actually wrapping itself around her body. It started at her feet and slowly radiated up her ankles, her calves, around her thighs, and in between her legs. It grew stronger in the pit of her stomach and stretched out into her chest, into her arms, her breasts, her throat, and finally up into her damp brow.

It was tender, comforting, and thawed every bone in her frozen body. Her breathing became normal again and gradually her shivering turned into a slight tremble.

"She's stabilizing…"

Her trembling finally subsided and she slowly eased into the soothing warmth her body was now exposed to.

But she was still much too weary to open her eyes, and she decided to sleep for a little bit longer…

* * *

"How is she doing?"

"She's resting now, Mr. Williams."

"You didn't answer me."

"Mr. Williams, this afternoon was the worst we have seen her. Her vitals dropped dramatically… it's very hard to tell right now."

A warm touch on her face lifted her out of the harsh darkness. Sunlight began to seep through her eyelids, almost forcing her out of her weary daze. Sarah finally broke through the constraint of sleep and was warm and aware enough now to finally open her eyes.

A blurry profile of a tall man met her vision. "Dad?"

A soft hand touched hers. "Honey, you're okay! Just take it easy, alright? I'm here now."

It took time for her eyes to adjust to the soft light; eventually she was able to make out her surroundings to an extent. Tubes and wires were attached to her body, sensors beeped on one side of her small bed, and the off-white walls that trapped her in on all sides. She was back in the hospital again

She took a few deep breaths before she slowly, painfully tried to raise her head. A stabbing pain in her skull took hold of her, and proceeded to travel down her neck and through her spine. A sickening moan escaped her lips as she threw her head back down.

"Miss Williams!" she heard a familiar voice say.

"No, honey," her father chided, "don't do that. Just lay down, you need to rest." Two pairs of strong arms pushed her back down onto her hospital bed.

"Dad," she croaked, "what happened?"

There was a long pause. "You had another episode," he said quietly.

That's what her and her family were calling them now – episodes. They weren't exactly seizures because she was aware of the pain that overtook her, and she responded to people around her, but the responses were brutal and violent. Her father suffered from raw welts on his arms and chest when she lashed out at him during a rather intense episode. And no matter how many times she had been to the hospital in the last few months, the doctors just couldn't seem to pinpoint what was wrong with her.

Every x-ray and CAT scan they had taken, every test they had done to her, and the enormous amount of questions they asked; they simply could not figure it out.

They thought perhaps it was psychological, but Sarah had refused therapy. She was not schizophrenic and did not suffer from any other kind of mental illness; even the doctors had confirmed that. But she would not sit down with someone who would pick at her brains relentlessly. If she had let anything slip that was not considered 'normal', they would have labeled her crazy for sure. And the voices she heard – she could definitely not tell anyone about. But she knew she was not crazy, perhaps she had a very overactive imagination as a child, but she didn't let that run into her adult life.

Or what life there was of it now.

Sarah had just recently graduated from high school and was looking forward to attending college. She was not sure what she wanted to do, but she figured she might as well get her GE's out of the way first. But before the first week of classes even started, she started to suffer from enormous headaches that would actually make her nauseous. Painkillers didn't help and she didn't dare take too many of them at once. And then the episodes started happening soon afterwards. The doctors were positive that it was a tumor, definitely something to do with the brain; but all of the x-rays always came back normal.

They always thought she was out of earshot when they went over her files and charts. But she always heard them, and it was always the same: why are you sick?

Sarah turned to the doctor standing next to her hospital bed. "Hi, Dr. Dorian," she whispered hoarsely.

"It's J.D., Sarah," a tall, brown-haired doctor in blue scrubs responded gently.

"Dr. Dorian," a broad man in a white coat came striding in and snatched Sarah's chart from Dr. Dorian's hands. "We need to stop being on a first name basis here."

"Dr. Cox, you remember our mystery patient," Dr. Dorian said timidly.

"We don't address our patients like that either, Nancy."

Sarah had figured out on her second visit here that Dr. Cox was prone to calling Dr. Dorian by every girl's name that was in the book. But Dr. Dorian took in stride; in fact, he seemed to enjoy it at times.

"I'm not getting any better," Sarah said weakly.

"Yes, you are," her father assured, stroking back her damp hair. "You can't think like that."

Dr. Dorian and Dr. Cox didn't say anything. They looked at the scene of fatherly reassurance to her daughter, and knew it was at best, perhaps a lost cause for them both.

Sarah looked away from her father and at the two doubt-ridden doctors before her. She met eyes with Dr. Dorian and smiled weakly. "What do we do now, J.D.?"

J.D. cleared his throat proudly; they had both called Dr. Cox's bluff right in front of him. "Well," he said with a smirk, "naturally you would be spending the rest of the evening with us. We will need to take some more tests. Mostly x-rays though." His eyes darted suddenly as his voice turned very quiet and serious. "Your father has told us that this afternoon was the worst one you had experienced."

She shivered inwardly when she remembered crawling on the ground beneath the apple tree, trying to escape the pain and the screams and the feel of warm blood draining out of her body.

She had never felt the blood before.

Sarah nodded her assent then lowered her gaze. She would not tell them about the blood, or the strange feelings she had during her episode. Perhaps the sensation of blood was only going to happen once. But the feeling she had experienced today, it was something she had not felt or seen in a long time. They all seemed so familiar to her at the time, but now she couldn't quite put a picture to the feelings.

"Well, in any case," J.D. continued, "in the meantime you just rest up and we'll come back in a few hours." He placed a comforting hand on her head and gently rubbed her temple with his thumb. "Nurse Espinoza will be in shortly to check your vitals."

Sarah smiled weakly. "Thank you, J.D."

"No problem, Sarah."

Dr. Cox growled in frustration. "Alright, we're done here." He slapped Sarah's chart into J.D.'s chest, which made J.D. flinch noticeably. "Mr. Williams," he nodded to Sarah's father and pointed his finger down at Sarah, "make sure she stays put."

"Of course, Dr. Cox."

Dr. Cox whistled as he waggled his hand impatiently at J.D. "Come, newbie!"

Sarah lifted her eyes to Dr. Cox. "You know you could work with dolphins with that whistle," she teased quietly.

J.D. burst out laughing. "Dolphins!" He pointed a finger in his face. "She got ya there, Coxie!"

Dr. Cox growled again, grabbed a fistful of J.D.'s sleeve and pulled him out the door.

"Bye Sarah!" J.D. called.

Sarah only laughed quietly in response.

"I wish you wouldn't take this as a joke," her father reprimanded, squeezing her hand.

"I know," she consented. "They do put a smile on my face though."

"I know they do, honey. But this is very serious. You say that during your… episodes, that the pain is unbearable."

Her smile faded and she looked away, her hair still clinging to her forehead. "It is. It hurts all over. Sometimes, I can't even think of anything else but the pain. Everything else is just a blank."

"_Liar…"_

Her father placed his other hand over hers and patted it gently. "We'll figure it out, honey. We'll get through this… I promise you."

She smiled briefly before she asked, "Where's Toby?"

"They're on their way. Karen has been worried sick all day, driving herself crazy in the waiting room. She's gone to pick up Toby from school and bring him here." He shook his head and chuckled. "You know, I don't know what changed between you two. You suddenly took a liking to her overnight and just like that the two of you were the best of friends."

"Well, not the best," she countered quickly.

"Sarah, you're the best daughter we could ever hope for." He leaned over and kissed her forehead, lingering just a little longer than usual.

Sarah smiled and squeezed her father's hand gently. She did love her father so, and he was right, she and Karen got along wonderfully. She seemed to remember they never did before, but she must have just had a change of heart just very suddenly. She remembered one night alone with Toby, well, she couldn't remember the whole night. There was a dark storm outside and she must have hit her head on something hard because she had passed out through most of the night. She had a wonderful dream though… But it was all colors and blurs now. After that she had changed her ways all together and doted on Toby as if he were her own child. Karen couldn't have been happier.

What was stranger was that she had no need for her playthings anymore. She put away her toys, her books, even her favorite music box with the beautiful dancing princess inside. She right away decided she had no more use for any of those things and put them far, far away in the back of her mind. The only toy she kept out was her beloved bear, Lancelot. But she gave that away to Toby; he had needed him more than she did. A change of heart, a change of mind… she had changed into a completely different person after that strange night.

"You know," her father said, "I think Dr. Dorian has a crush on you."

Sarah laughed under her raspy breath. "You think?"

"He seems very nice, but he knows when to keep it professional." Her father gave her a knowing look.

Sarah smiled. It seemed J.D. did have a slight crush on her, but like her father said, he kept his personal feelings and his intentions off limits when it came to his patients.

"Miss Williams?" A dark skinned nurse with brown curls opened the door to her room.

Sarah turned her head slowly. "Hi Carla."

Leaning against the door, she lowered her voice to a whisper. "The rest of your family is here. Do you think you're well enough to see them?"

Sarah's face immediately brightened. "Oh, yes. Please let them in."

Carla opened the door a little wider to let her stepmother in, carrying Toby in her arms.

"Oh, Sarah," Karen nearly wailed. "I was so worried!"

Toby held his arms out to his sister. "Sarah! I want Sarah!"

Karen stole a pleading at Carla who was checking the monitor next to Sarah's bed.

"It's alright," Carla nodded. She reached out for Toby from the other side and gently placed him in the bed next to Sarah. The little boy nestled next to Sarah's frail body as she raised a weak hand to his cheek.

"Are you alright?" Carla quietly asked the invalid.

"Yes," Sarah replied, her voice still hoarse. "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you, Carla."

Carla smiled down at Sarah. But it was a smile full of doubt and guilt-ridden sympathy.

Sarah only ignored their pity as she had done so many times before.

"Sarah," Toby whimpered. "Why are you sick?"

"I don't know, babycakes."

"I don't want you to be sick. I want you better."

Sarah looked at her father and stepmother; they both had tears in their eyes. Carla looked away and continued with her work. "I want that too, Toby. More than anything."

* * *

There was no morning sun that shone through her window today. It was cold and gray, and it dropped Sarah's mood considerably. Waiting for her test results had been miserable, but actually receiving them had been devastating. This was the first time that they had ever found anything unusual in her x-rays. It was a tumor. A small one, but one that was lodged within her brain.

After considering her options, her family thought it best that she should receive surgery as soon as possible. Because it was detected early, she had a very good chance of it being a thoroughly successful surgery. It had not spread, but brain surgery especially performed on one so young as herself, was still a very dangerous and risky procedure.

But Sarah considered it to be her only option. Anything to get rid of the pain.

A day before the surgery, her consultant, Dr. Turk, was feeling anything but nervous about tomorrow morning's operation.

"Don't you worry about a thing, mystery patient," Dr. Turk said with barely concealed excitement, "you are in very good hands."

"He is the best," J.D. nodded beside him.

Sarah cocked an eyebrow. "And you're not just saying that because you two are best friends?"

"How did you know?" Dr. Turk asked.

"Come on, the way you two get on, you could be married. I almost feel sorry for Carla. She's in constant competition for your love, Turk."

"I gotta get out o' here," Dr. Turk pushed J.D. aside but then pulled him back. "Dude, you don't think Carla's threatened by us, do you? I mean, we're just best friends!"

"Nah," J.D. waved it aside. "She's fine!"

Turk grinned. "Of course, she is. She's my baby!" He pointed down at Sarah, "I will see you in surgery tomorrow morning, my friend!"

She sighed, her eyes downcast. "I look forward to it…"

Dr. Turk had left the room, but J.D. lingered for a moment longer. "Sarah," he murmured, approaching her hospital bed, "your aunt was here earlier today and she wanted me to give you this." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a strand of black cord. He opened his fist to reveal a beautiful bronze pendant resting in his palm.

"Oh!" Sarah cried softly. "It's beautiful!" J.D. held his hand out as Sarah gently took the bronze pendant from him. A phoenix gloriously rising from the flames and reaching for the sun was cast on one side, the rays of the sun and the flames merging together on either side of the bird's magnificent wings. Sarah flipped the pendant over and drew a sharp breath. The Chartres Labyrinth was cast in dizzying curves and spirals, a small golden sphere lay within the center. Each turn and path was beautifully detailed; and the pendant itself gleamed so brightly it looked brand new.

"What is it?" J.D. asked curiously, leaning over to get a better look.

"I don't know what they mean," Sarah replied hesitantly. "But they're both beautiful, the phoenix… and the Labyrinth," she ran her finger over the spirals carefully, "seems so familiar to me. I don't know why though." She suddenly stopped and shot her gaze up to J.D. "You said my aunt came and wanted to give this to me?"

J.D. blinked. "She said it would bring you luck."

"J.D.," she whispered, "I don't have an aunt on either side of my family."

J.D. took a step back. "But she was here, in the waiting room. She knew your name, she knew you were here. I talked to her!"

Sarah was just as shocked, and scared as J.D. seemed to be. "Well, what did she look like?"

"She had a black scarf around her head; I could barely make her out. But it looked like you two could have been related."

"_It couldn't have been my mother; she would never do something like this. She doesn't even know I'm sick. She doesn't know anything…"_

J.D. shook his head quickly. "It doesn't make sense, she knew your name – Sarah Williams, and she specifically asked me to give that to you."

Sarah turned her head and leaned against her pillow with a barely suppressed groan. She clutched the pendant in her palm, growing warm against her skin. She didn't know why, but she took comfort in it. Perhaps it would bring her luck in her surgery, so perhaps she could just keep it until it was all over. Maybe it had been her mother in the waiting room and she only wanted to keep a low profile. It was an odd gesture, but a fairly decent one nonetheless. She really was quite fascinated with this little treasure in her hand.

Turning it over to the cast of the Labyrinth, she smiled inwardly. Convincing J.D. to keep it until after her surgery wouldn't be too difficult.

* * *

"_So, here I am eighteen years old and I have a brain tumor."_ She raked her fingers through her still full, black hair. _"Strange how they never could detect this before. At least they did find it early."_

She was ready for tomorrow morning, and despite how nervous she was, Sarah had no trouble falling asleep alone in her hospital bed. She trusted her doctors with her very life and she knew they would take extraordinary care with her.

Before she fell into a fitful slumber, she slipped the bronze pendant over her head where it lay just above her breasts. Of course J.D. had no problem with her keeping it just for a little while. She only had to promise that she would not tell Dr. Cox, and she intended to keep that promise.

In her sleep she sighed fitfully. She could feel herself tossing and twisting her sheets around her shaking legs. Her dreams were filled with dark images, stalking and hunting her like wild prey. Unfamiliar voices whispered insistently from the deep corners of the shadows where no one dared even to look. But familiar forms began to take shape. Black columns of thin, pale men grew in front of her. She had seen them before, and she was gripped with fear. They had no faces, only a harsh blur of white rose from a stiff collar at the neck.

Long tendrils, like fingers, reached for her from the black figures. She felt an icy chill as it reached to touch her body, until they were nearly upon her, suffocating her with their want of her.

She tried in vain to move, to scream, anything to get away from them. They had found her.

Her eyes flew open and she looked again upon her empty hospital room. She sighed deeply in relief, but when she did, she thought she caught the faint hint of sandalwood. A calming warmth overtook her at the mere scent of it. But just as she took another breath, a smooth hand clamped over her mouth.

She nearly grew hysterical at the hand and at the stranger in her room. She mumbled inaudibly at her intruder, silently screaming for anyone to help her.

"Shh…" soothed a voice. "Do not be afraid."

The voice was thickly accented and belonged to a woman. It briefly reminded Sarah of a thick Middle Eastern accent she had often heard at her father's business dinners. Her body immediately relaxed at the composure of the woman's voice, but her mind was still alert and cautious. The hand smelled heavily of sandalwood.

"I will not hurt you," assured the voice with quiet serenity. "But we must get you out of here tonight."

* * *

**AN: **Thanks to Anij, TarahW, and notwritten. I will try to finish this this time, but A New Life comes first.

Shalom y Amor Merry Christmas!! (Feliz Navidad - puede el reinado de la paz. no mas de guerra.) Happy Hannukah!!


	3. Escape

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Labyrinth

* * *

Sarah's eyes began to adjust slightly to the dark, the hand still clamped over her mouth, effectively holding her still out of fear. She didn't dare move her head or neck, but try as she might, her eyes could not let her discern the intruder. But her smooth skin and sultry voice had indeed belonged to a woman.

How could someone even get in here? Doctors and nurses roamed and watched these hallways like hawks, especially her room. If she made the slightest sound, a scream perhaps when the hand finally lifted, would they come in time before this intruder did something to her? Perhaps it was better not to find out.

Common sense told her to stay put and cooperate with every demand. Thank god a woman had managed to sneak in, and not a man…

"Now," the voice whispered soothingly, "I know you must be frightened. But I am here to help you. That is not a tumor you have."

Sarah squirmed uneasily, but the hand stayed firm. How could she possibly know?

"It is something beyond the repair of your doctors." She paused and it seemed the woman had stopped breathing, as if she were listening; hearing something Sarah could not. Her voice became more insistent. "You must trust me. I am the only one who can help you. But you must promise me when I release my hand that you will make no sound. Do you promise?"

Her voice was something Sarah had never heard before. It was thick and heavy, like honey, but just as sweet and silky. Sarah could not help herself; she simply could not deny that voice. She nodded her promise slowly out of pure instinct.

The woman slowly released her hand from Sarah's mouth and pulled away. Catching her breath and after a moment's hesitation, Sarah had the strength to prop her upper body unto to her elbows. Stifling a moan, she turned her head to the woman, who was at the door and peering out of the little glass window placed there. She was barely illuminated in the dim hallway lights of the hospital, only her silhouette shown through the shadows.

Sarah took a deep breath and found her voice. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

The woman rushed back to Sarah's bedside. Ignoring her questions, she put one hand on Sarah's back and one on her forehead, checking her temperature. Sarah remained still, but managed to relax under the woman's gentle touch. She still could not see her face, for it was hidden beneath a shawl draped around her head. But the woman was slender and held herself with an air of grace and of equal humility.

"You have no fever," the woman affirmed, stroking Sarah's hair back. "But it will not hold for long."

"W-what won't?" Sarah asked warily.

"Your pains." She stated matter-of-factly, reaching underneath Sarah's bed and pulling up a knapsack.

Sarah's head swam, her heart began to beat faster; she surely would have had a fever if the woman hadn't told her otherwise. How did she know all of this? It was as if she knew all along, as if she were another member of her family who knew just as much as Sarah herself did. And she was so nonchalant about it.

However, she was not so unconcerned about getting Sarah out of the hospital. The woman was frantically digging through the knapsack, pulling out one piece of clothing after another, whipping her head back around to the door, making sure no one was coming.

"They'll find out you're here sooner than later," Sarah uttered, noticing the woman's frantic actions.

"No, they will not." Again, that casual speech of hers; it did not match her behavior at all.

Sarah took a deep breath and shook her head mentally. "Ok," she took another breath, "at least tell me who you are."

The woman stopped and raised her head. "You want my name?" Sarah could hear the slight smile on her lips.

"That would be helpful, yes."

"My name is not important now." She tossed several pieces of clothing unto Sarah's bed and began brushing them out carefully. "You may call me Nayna in the meantime."

"And how do you know-"

"No more questions," Nayna shushed, throwing up her hand. "Put those clothes on." She rushed to the door, still keeping a sharp look out.

Sarah eyed the clothes and turned her head back to the silhouette of Nayna. This was ridiculous. She was not going anywhere with a stranger, regardless whether she knew of her illness or not. She really expected her to believe and follow her, and out into the middle of the night no less. What if they ran into a doctor or a nurse, or even J.D., what would he think of her? No. She had her surgery tomorrow, she was going to be cured, and running away from the hospital the night before with a complete stranger was ludicrous.

"No," Sarah whispered in the dark.

Nayna's profile turned to her. "Sarah," her voice was determined, but held a hint of sorrow. "Please do not do this now. You must do as I say. It is the only way to save your life."

"Why?" Sarah sat up higher in bed, trying to ignore the cramps in her legs. "Where are you taking me?"

Nayna glided back to her bedside and reached another hand to her forehead. From her touch alone, Sarah suddenly felt a ray of warm sunshine radiating throughout her body. "Sarah," she began again, "my little princess. I am taking you home."

Home? She was going home? But, her surgery it would cure her…

As if reading her thoughts, Nayna cupped Sarah's face within her hands and touched her forehead with her own. Sarah then felt a warmth deep down within her, far more comforting than any sunshine could give, something she hadn't felt in a long time…

"I promise you, I can help save your life. My gift that hangs around your neck will protect you."

Sarah's hand flew to her chest, clutching the bronze pendant resting just above her breasts. "You gave this to me?" she whispered.

"The phoenix will give you light, and the Labyrinth will guide you to that light."

"The Labyrinth…" Sarah's words echoed in her mind, followed by flashes of colors and memories long forgotten. She knew them. She had seen them before, she knew she did. Had it been a dream or was it for real? She never could remember, the pain and the episodes would always bring some memories back and then cruelly erase them from her mind. Now all she could believe in were those memories, always secretly hoping they were real.

But she knew she wasn't dreaming now and this woman standing in front her, touching foreheads almost reverently… this woman called Nayna who smelled so lovingly of sandalwood was real.

Surgery could possibly remove the tumor, a tumor that appeared in a matter of weeks. Surgery was more than risky, it could be dangerous. Nayna knew about the pain and the 'tumor', and had given her the pendant. She knew more than she was letting on. But ultimately, everything came down to a cure.

Sarah knew in the back of her mind that another horrible episode could potentially be dangerous and fatal. Sarah began trusting this woman more and more with each passing moment, she reminded her of something she had lost long ago, and longed for it to return since she was a little girl. Nayna would be taking her home and in the process find a cure for her. Anything to get rid of the pain.

Sarah took a deep breath and tried to find Nayna's face hidden beneath her shawl. Even in the dark, Sarah could still see the sun in the deep earth of her eyes.

* * *

Sarah put the clothes Nayna had given her onto her body as quick as she could. Black was the only suitable color to steal into the night, she supposed. Loose, black trousers on her legs and an oversized, black tunic limply clung to her frame.

"It's too big," Sarah whispered, looking down at herself.

"You need to move tonight," Nayna whispered back, peering out the glass window. "Now," she began, her hand resting on the doorknob, "stay close to me. Do not run unless I say to. And do not speak." She turned her head and clutched Sarah's hand gently. "Do not stray from me, Sarah. Always stay close to me."

Sarah suddenly noticed her feet, she wore no shoes. "Nayna, I'm barefoot!"

"As am I," she replied, creaking open the door. She shot her head back and forth checking the hallways, when she felt it was safe she slipped out the door and pulled Sarah with her.

Sarah looked at both ends of the hallway as Nayna had done. No one was roaming the hallways. She had never seen them this way before; usually the hallway had a doctor or a couple of nurses even at this hour of night. She tried getting a better look at Nayna's face, but even the hallways here were too dimly lit. Nayna certainly kept her black shawl well hooded over her head.

Nayna pulled her to the left and they both padded through the hallway silently. They passed another hallway and then another, room after room with patients sleeping peacefully inside. Their soft footsteps were barely audible down the silent corridors. Where was everyone? It was as if the hospital had been abandoned and only the patients remained. Nayna kept looking over her shoulder and stopped at every cross hallway they had come to, peering down in each direction nervously.

"_Maybe this isn't a good idea,"_ Sarah thought, _"she is trying to sneak me out."_

Before they came to a wide corner, Nayna pulled Sarah with her up against the wall suddenly. Nayna grasped her wrist and squeezed lightly, twisting her head around the corner. She whipped her head back around and swore softly.

"What is it?" Sarah asked, forgetting her warnings. "Is it a doctor?"

Sarah couldn't see the glare protruding from the hidden face, but she could feel it nonetheless.

Nayna pushed Sarah in the other direction. "Go," she whispered harshly, "go!"

"Wait, what's wrong?"

Maybe this really wasn't a good idea. What Nayna was doing was illegal and it could get Sarah into a lot of trouble. She really didn't want to be caught by her doctors and have to explain herself to them and her parents. Deciding she would not be cowed down by Nayna, Sarah ignored her prodding and swiftly glided in front of and around Nayna, wanting to see what they were turning away from.

"Sarah, don't!" Nayna warned through clenched teeth. But it was too late.

Sarah became deathly white and the hairs on her neck and arms rose. She was instinctively afraid, and it took everything in her willpower not to collapse in panic.

They were real too. The tall, dark figures that haunted her nightmares and reached out for her while she slept. There were at least five of them. Three stood with their backs to her far down the other end of the hallway and two others were prowling along the sides, peering into the doors and slinking their stench and greed wherever their gazes and fingers lingered.

She threw herself back around Nayna with a muffled gasp. She could barely control her breathing, tears of horror filled her eyes… they were real, and she knew they were looking for her.

"Go," Nayna hissed, pushing her harder.

Sarah obeyed this time and grabbed her hand without a second thought. They hurried down another long, abandoned corridor. The soft moonlight being their only source of light in the dark.

"In here," Nayna pulled her into an empty hospital room and silently but quickly shut the door behind them.

Sarah padded into the dark room and huddled against the cold wall, clutching her fists to her chest, and stared into the darkness with a long, unblinking gaze.

Nayna stayed at the door, listening intently to what she could only hear. But Sarah stood frozen against the wall, and with trembling lips she finally whispered, "They're real."

"Yes," Nayna answered, grasping Sarah's quivering arm. "They are real. Sarah," her voice became even lower, but remained firm, "you know they are real now, and you know they are looking for you."

"Why?" Sarah could barely choke back a sob.

"They wish to bring you harm. That is why I am here to help you."

Her nightmares were real, and it terrified her to the core. In one moment, she knew who they were and then just as quickly, it was erased from her mind; it was always this way since the episodes started. But she knew for certain that the dark ones looking for her wanted her dead.

She suddenly seized Nayna's arm and leaned close to her. "You have to get me out," she hissed desperately. "They want to kill me. They've been trying to for a long time, and they're here to finish it."

"I will get you out," Nayna assured softly. "But you must do as I say!" She pulled Sarah even closer, both women were nearly the same height, and Sarah could feel Nayna's sweet breath on her cheek. "There is no going back now, do you understand?"

Sarah remained silent but nodded her head slowly. She was determined to get out of this hospital now. She was not crazy and she was not dreaming. Everything here and now was real, and for the first time in her life, she was afraid. Her life was on the line, and so was Nayna's.

* * *

They snuck out of the empty room like two black cats and silently yet quickly hurried down another dark hallway. They both looked behind them every now and again, and they both stopped at every cross hallway they had come to. They were both desperate and determined to get out alive now. The hospital remained silent and for a time, it was only the sound of their heartbeats and Sarah's frantic breathing they could hear.

The only way in or out of this hospital was through the front door, and it was from the far side of the ground wing that Sarah finally saw people at the lobby. There were several nurses there and she noticed the blonde doctor she had seen often with emergency patients conversing. Nayna stopped behind a corner and peered down the way, making sure it was safe. When she finally felt it was, she grabbed Sarah's hand and pulled her forward gently.

She could the lights of the lobby getting brighter, and the front door became closer and closer with each step. They were almost free, almost safe…

"_Almost there, almost there, just act normal when you walk out. Almost there, almost there…"_

Nayna pulled her again and began to walk a little quicker. Sarah managed to keep up with her this whole time, but both suddenly stopped dead in their tracks.

A tall, pale man in a dark suit glided around the last corner, and with a wide, bloody grin full of rotted fangs stopped Sarah's heart. He stood in front of them for a time, tilting his head from side to side, glaring down at Nayna. But then his attention turned to Sarah, and his grin became even wider, his milky white eyes becoming narrower. He reached out for her then and leaned his upper body toward hers. Sarah became stiff with fear… they were just like her nightmares where she couldn't move…

"No!" Nayna screamed. "Sarah, run!" She pulled Sarah back in the other direction. "Run!"

They ran in a flurry of black down the moonlit corridors. Nayna didn't stop now, she ran and Sarah ran with her, as fast as her tired legs would carry her. She could feel them coming, and with them came their voices, slithering up her cold spine calling her name, following them down the dark hospital hallways. She ran until she felt her lungs would burst, and her limbs began to ache, but the voices were coming closer. The hallways still remained empty, but there was no way out now. An emergency exit would draw them straight for their escape route. They had been found and were easy to track now, which meant no empty hospital rooms to hide in.

So they kept running frantically down one hallway after another. All the while, her heart beat in a furious frenzy, more from fright than from the chase.

They came upon another cross hallway and neither stopped this time. But when Sarah ran through, she caught a brief glimpse of golden white from the corner of her eye. It compelled her to stop.

"Wait!" she nearly screamed, pulling Nayna back. "Wait, down here!"

"Sarah! We cannot stop!"

"I saw something down here…"

She led her back around the last corner they had passed, but when Sarah peered around she saw nothing. Only an empty hallway.

"No, you're right," Nayna declared quietly. She hurried down the hall, pulling Sarah with her. They reached a pair of double doors, there was no emergency exit sign printed on them, no sign printed at all. Nayna heaved a door open, revealing the chill dark of night. "Go," she shoved Sarah out the door, took one last look behind her, and followed after her.

* * *

He could only follow behind them, passing through each wall and room silent as a phantom as they made their escape. He secretly hid them from view and guarded their path down each dark corridor. But when they were found and raced down the hallways, he formed an exit out of the far wall, and briefly made himself visible to Sarah. He could not linger and wait for them, it would raise too many questions, and time was quickly running out.

The Goblin King soon followed after them when they found the door. He would keep watch on both women secretly for now… especially on his precious Sarah.

* * *

**AN:** I never should have deleted this story. I know where I want to go with it now, and I think I have a really good chapter here. Only I remember there being 10 reviews up to this point. oh well. This way I learn.

Happy 2007!

Shalom y Amor


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